Vetorep ER355

Clean the surface and remove any dust, unsound or contaminated material, plaster, oil, paint, grease, corrosion deposits, or algae.

Roughen the surface and remove any laitance by light scabbling or grit-blasting. Saw cut or cut back the repair locations’ extremities to a depth of at least 5 mm to avoid feather-edging and provide a square edge. 

Break out the complete repair area to a minimum depth of 5 mm up to the sawn edge. 

Remove oil and grease deposits by steam cleaning, detergent scrubbing, or the use of a proprietary degreaser. A pull-off test should then assess the effectiveness of decontamination. 

Expose any corroded steel in the repair area fully and remove all loose scale and corrosion deposits—clean steel to a bright condition. Paying attention to the back of exposed steel bars. 

Grit-blasting is recommended for this process. If the lost area of steel is less than 25%, then compensate for the loss. Shall the lost steel is higher than 25%, then completely replace the reinforcement steel.

Prime horizontal substrates by using Vetoprime EP491. Mix the primer according to recommended proportions. Add the entire tin of  ‘hardener’ to the ‘base’ one. Mix the two components thoroughly for 3 minutes. Scrub the mixed primer well into the prepared substrate, coat all surface imperfections properly, and avoid ‘pudding’ in depressions. If the substrate absorbs the primer within 30 minutes, apply a second coat before continuing. Apply Vetorep ER355 as soon as the primer starts to gel but still has surface ‘tack,’ this is normally between 30. minutes and 2 hours, depending on the ambient and substrate temperatures. If the primer cures hard, apply another coat before the application of Vetorep ER355. The usable life of the mixed primer is approximately 60 minutes at 20°C or 30 minutes at 35°C.

Mix Vetorep ER355 thoroughly to produce a fully homogeneous trowel-able mortar. Mix Vetorep ER355 mechanically. Stir the ‘hardener’ and ‘base’ components separately to disperse any settling particles before mixing them together. 

Add the entire tin of ‘hardener’ to the ‘base’ one. Mix the two components thoroughly for 3 minutes, then empty the mixture into a forced-action mixer of adequate capacity. 

Add the aggregate slowly with the mixer and continue mixing for 4 to 5 minutes until all components are thoroughly blended. Do not mix partial quantities. If needed, use a slowspeed heavy-duty drill fitted with a purpose mixer.

Apply the mixed material to prepared substrates using a trowel/float, pressing it firmly into place to ensure positive adhesion and full compaction. 

Compact the mortar around any exposed reinforcement Thoroughly. In restricted locations or where exposed reinforcing steel appears, application by hand (use gloves) is an acceptable alternative. In all cases, finish the product to a tight surface with a steel trowel. 

Vetorep ER355 can be applied in sections up to 50 mm thick in horizontal locations, in a single application, and without formwork.

Apply multiple layers to achieve additional build-up. Firmly secure exposed steel-reinforcing bars to avoid movement during the application process as this will affect mortar compaction, build, and bond. 

Where thicker sections are required, the intermediate applications’ surface should be scratch-keyed to provide a suitable surface for subsequent layers. The application of additional layers should follow between 8 and 24 hours after the first application (at 20°C). At higher temperatures, the time will be less than 8 – 24 hours (You may need to re prime and apply more Vetorep ER355). 

If sagging occurs during application, Vetorep ER355 should be completely removed and reapplied at a reduced thickness onto the correctly re-primed substrate.

Finish Vetorep ER355 using a wooden float and close with a steel trowel. Do not overwork the finished surface.

At ambient temperatures above 35ºC, Vetoprime EP491 and Vetorep ER355 will have shorter pot lives and working lives. Store the materials in the shade or in an air-conditioned environment, and do not apply in direct sunlight.